A creative castle, a cute cottage and a cool city.

We visited Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. It is a fantastic place which is so child friendly. The kids were able to dress up as knights and princesses. There were broom stick flying lessons, sword-playing, olden day soap making and calligraphic writing plus old games. There is so much to do for the whole family. I got some great ideas for our carnival at school. Can't wait to share. The grounds are stunning and there is also a huge formal garden which we didn't even have time to get to. The state rooms in the castle are stunning (no photos allowed). The castle has been in the family for 700 years. Currently the 12th Duke and his wife govern it with their family. In the house amongst all of the timeless pieces of furniture and art are modern photos of their family in this day and age (could be any family photos) which is quite refreshing to see. So much fun here and in such a cute medieval town too.

 

This is the gorgeous Burradon Farm that we stayed at. We had a huge cottage for our family. It was just right for us with our loud children. These were horse stables once upon a time. We had wonderful views over the farm and the kids could run free. We really couldn't believe or luck here. There are about 12 different cottages to meet everyone's needs so I highly recommend this place to you if you just so happen to visit Northumberland one day!!! Go on do it!!! :-)

 

 

We stopped in the City of York. This is where we had originally hoped to live while in UK when we first started searching. There is a Steiner school here but it is one and a half hours away from Manchester City so wasn't a possibility in the end. Anyway we discovered today that is just the most beautiful place. So vibrant and exciting possibly due to it being a University town. The York gardens were covered with people enjoying their Bank holiday. Rich and I have decided to come back here one day to stay in about 20 years time...without the kids. Ella tells us she is never leaving home and that she will be with us...Lets see how that works out.
PS...While you are visiting Northumberland make sure you stop in York too.

Great heights!

We also went onto St Mary's Lighthouse at Whitley Bay just a 15 minute drive from Cramlington. I didn't know what to expect from the beaches here but I was really pleasantly surprised. It was quite beautiful. There were many families out enjoying the sunshine and exploring the wonderful rocky shore. The walk up the lighthouse stairs were a challenge to some of us...me! I seemed to be getting worse with heights as I get older. Ella seems to be the same and decided not to join us. My mum tells me when they visited these beaches in 1977 in the winter they were covered in snow to the waters edge! Gorgeous day huh?

Don't forget your roots my friend.

This is our trip to Newcastle over the long weekend. My Dad's family are from this town named Cramlington before my grandparents made the huge voyage on a ship across to New Zealand in 1950. Nana and Granda had 13 children. Their third child was born here but sadly passed away when just over a month old and is buried here. See our photo with Carole Christine's headstone. Dad was the next born after her hence his name Carroll Christopher. This church is St John the Baptist in Cramlington where Carole is buried and also where my great grandparents and grandparents were married and my dad was baptized. We were lucky enough to meet the priest of the church. He said the church is quite new and built by a wealthy lady who converted to Catholicism for 7,000 pounds at the beginning of the 1900s. We were also searching for the grave of my Dad's Aunty Olive and the priest actually remembers her well but she was buried at another graveyard. However between Ella, Rich and myself searching the two graveyards we couldn't find her. So that was a little sad for us. We also drove by the houses that my grandparents, great grandparents and my dad lived. Quite an emotional journey for us and so wonderful to get so close to our special heritage. I am left wondering what life was like here for the first half of the 20th century especially through two world wars. It must have been challenging. xoxo

 

 

 

Dunham Massey: Sanctuary from the Trenches

Another absolutely stunning National Trust Park. Dunham Massey is an amazing estate that is a place of wonderful stories of family drama with an earl who fought for the monarchy and one who helped a king lose his head, a man who married for money and a countess who scandalized polite society, an earl who abandoned his home for love and one who came back to claim it as his own. During the first world war Dunham was set up as a military hospital which the house is currently set up to replicate now. The last and 10th Earl dedicated his life to preserving Dunham and decided to gift the house and its contents (which are exquisite) and the 3,000 acres of land to the National Trust. Generous man huh? Anyway there is your history lesson of the day. This entire complex is breathtaking right down to the entrance, the gift shop and restaurants. You can spend an entire day here. The kids enjoyed looking through the house but found it hard to believe people actually lived there in such a lovely place. The hospital even has actors walking around as patients and nurses. Outdoors in the formal garden it is incredible. My favourite flower was out in full bloom in every colour of the rainbow. Ella loved the trail set up to explore the remedies from the ages made from plants in the garden. Deer roam freely, rabbits hop around and happy chickens rescued  from a battery farm enjoy their freedom. A perfect place for all. And yes we are in t.shirts!!!

We're going to the zoo zoo zoo

On Sunday we visited Chester Zoo. A lovely place on over 110 acres. The weather is warming up and feeling a lot like Spring. It had yet another wonderful playground and a monorail which the kids loved...HELLO KIDS did anyone noticed the cool animals??? Funny how monorails and playgrounds distract them from the main event. The man who created this zoo back in 1930s decided he wanted to make a zoo without bars which is what we experienced today and is now the most popular zoo in the UK. Really beautiful place!

 

Could ya be the most beautiful mall in the world???

This is the Trafford Centre. An amazing shopping centre with extravagant marble, paintings and sculptures everywhere. These photos are of the food hall. There is a lane replicating a street from New Orleans with numerous themed cafes and restaurants. Another lane is set up like it is a street in China with appropriate cafes again. This part is like a cruise liner. A shame this part on the bottom floor has McDs, KFC and Pizza Hut around it. Yuck!